After months of speculation and reports that contradicted one another, it appears that a new Toyota 86 is in the works and it will again be the fruit of a collaboration between Toyota and Subaru which all but confirms that a new BRZ is around the corner as well. Now, the news comes from the mouth of Toyota Europe Head of Marketing Matt Harrison, so we tend to believe it, although it’s not the first time a high-ranked Toyota employee talked about a new 86.
These past 12 months have been quite the rollercoaster ride for fans of both the BRZ and the 86 (or GT86 as it’s known across the pond). Everyone saw the first-generation models were getting long in the tooth and Toyota never seemed to clarify the matter of its co-op with Subaru that produced two wonderful sporty coupes. Then came the launch of the A90 Supra and the news that the basic version in Japan is powered by a less powerful engine than the 86’s 2.0-liter 197 horsepower four-pot. Many thought that meant the writing was on the wall for the 86 as Toyota wouldn’t want to undermine the Supra by selling another sports car with more oomph and a cheaper price tag. But, apparently, sales have been satisfactory enough to prompt Toyota and Subaru to get to the drawing boards once more.